SOME 40 families residing in Shrine Hills and Diversion Road will transfer to an evacuation facility in Los Amigos, Tugbok District, Davao City.
The evacuation will be assisted by the Davao City Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) together with various city offices due to the imminent danger of landslide.
CDRRMO Operations Officer Rodrigo Bustillo, during the I-Speak media forum on Thursday, October 5, said that they will assist residents' transfer to the evacuation center since their area of residence has been identified as landslide-prone due to frequent rains and earthquakes.
"So ang atong gitan-aw diri base sa atong (We base this through) scientific data provided by different agencies like Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), Department of Science Technology. We declared the area as landslide prone. If you can see there is a huge crack in the Diversion road part of the property of the seventh day Adventist," he said.
Bustillo said they saw the need to conduct the assisted evacuation for residents to temporarily leave the area since their observation with Mines and Geosciences Bureau found that the area can collapse anytime.
"Ang mga tao nga naa sa mga impact area. Ato jud na sila nga pahawaon diha temporarily ug dad-on nato sa atoang evacuation sa Los Amigos while ato panang ginaplastar na nga area kay anytime kay base sa atong pag-obserbar together sa MGB kanang area diha possible jud na nga mubigay na siya so there were around 40 families ang directly maigo kung mubigay na siya nga lugar (The families are located in the impact area, we will ask them to temporarily leave the area and will be brought to Los Amigos, while adjustments were being done, based on our observation with the MGB the area can collapse anytime)," he said.
He said that the area in Diversion Road seem to be part of Matina Pangi but the residents in the area are registered in Barangay Langub.
The crack that exists in Shrine Hills belong to Matina Crossing area so three barangays will be involved in carrying out the evacuation.
The former dumpsite, and the area where there is road widening of DPWH, Bustillo said, are also identified as areas of impact of landslide.
"Kanang area nabelong sa urban ecological sub zone big sabihin ana nga kana nga area very sensitive in terms of ecological aspect, karon naa may ginahimo ang dpwh na road widening, isa na siya sa nakita namo nga hinungdan sa ground movement so with that, sa akoang pagkabalo naa tay mitigating measures diha (The area belong to the urban ecological sub zone, which means that that it is very sensitive in terms of ecological aspect. Now there is road widening in the area, and it is one of the reasons of the ground movement. We are informed that some mitigating measures are already in place)," he said.
He said that improvements on roads sometimes have negative impact.
Bustillo said that around seven families who were living in the slope has already evacuated upon their advice.
He added that the City Government will shoulder the shelter and food of the evacuees through a well-equipped 1,000-man capacity evacuation center in Los Amigos.
Bustillo added that they already expect that they will face resistance from the residents especially those whose livelihood is in the area.
"Whether they like it or not they must be removed from this area kay ang atong gina huna-huna karon ang safety jud so with that (Whether they will like it or not, they must be removed from the area because what we think now is the their safety)," he added.
He said the residents in the area are living in danger zone, and along the highway and such area is not good for habitation.
Bustillo said that mitigating measures being done is the removal of boulder in the top, so the crack will collapse, and erosion will be controlled.
Despite the danger of landslide, Bustillo said the road works of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will not stop, since it is part of the city's development.
He said they conduct meetings with DPWH on how to address the problem.
Bustillo added Tugbok Los Amigos relocation site is the only identified area in the city where these residents can stay long-term.